Questionnaire for Rupal Tyagi_beauty launchpad

Questionnaire for Rupal Tyagi_beauty launchpad

What inspired you to start a range of wellness products? Why the name Wikka?

I got married in the Tyagi family of Nehtaur, Distt Bijnor U.P. who own large Mango plantations and aromatic plantations there. It was in one of those visits to our aromatic plantation farms that inspired me to study about essential oils and eventually Aromatherapy. After completing my studies from London, I started my practice of healing with aromatherapy. The results of my blends on my clients were so effective that they in fact pushed me into launching my own range of products.

Wikka literally translates to pure magic. Sensing the need for products that are not chemically altered or infused with harmful additives, we have crafted a whole line of Wikka Potions.

What do you mean by the brand’s promotional line – crafted at the foot of the Himalayas?

Himalayas give you sense of purity and serenity. Our products are also close to nature. Quite a few essential oils that we use are being produced and distilled in the foothills. Away from pollution each time when we visit our factory which is located in Himachal, we are reassured of the freshness and purity; a part of which we want to bring along into our products each time.

Where are these products available and what is your retail/marketing plan for them? How deep and wide is the market penetration of Wikka products?

Wikka products are available online through our e-commerce website www.wikka.in . You can view all our products and order from anywhere in the world and we will have it delivered at your doorstep. We also have a COD (Cash on Delivery) facility for our clients who are still hesitant to use their credit/debit cards online. We will be launching our first flagship store on MG Road, Ghitorni, New Delhi in March 2015. This will be the first offline presence of Wikka. We intend to expand our offline presence to 15 metro and tier 1 cities all across India in a year’s time.

Why the stress on ‘natural’ products rather than ones based on breakthrough technologies?

Beauty has been associated with the times of Cleopatra when only nature and natural products were used to enhance it.We already encounter a lot of pollution, synthetic chemicals and chemical laden food products in our day to day lives. Our body for once needs to detoxify, rejuvenate and replenish whatever is lost in dealing with these toxins. Nature is full of answers to deal with these problems. The natural products only aid the body in bouncing back to life.There is a lot of research happening on natural life sciences. Our products will incorporate the latest developments that are directly based and derived from nature.

Do you plan to make the ranges available for professional use or retail them over-the-counter, too? What about online stores?

Yes. We will soon be coming out with our range for professional and institutional users. The products are in the formulation and testing phases.Currently we will not be selling on online stores. We wish to pursue and promote our own e-com website wikka.in for all online orders.

Do you agree that a wellness range needs to have a specialised wellness centre/spa to back it up? Explain

Wellness is not dependant on a place, institution or an environment. Wellness is a habit which can very well be achieved on the go or in the comfort of your surroundings.

Where do you source the ingredients for your products from?

All essential oils are sourced directly from our plantations or associated plantations to maintain the purity of the oils. Since all essential oils are not grown in one region, we also import a few oils directly from the source of origin. The quality and purity of essential oils is of utmost importance to us.

How are the formulations for the products developed? Are they based entirely on traditional systems or do they include new findings?

The beauty of our era is that we have a vast traditional knowledge to bank upon and the latest of the technologies to refine them. The amalgamation of both brings out the best in a product.Our formulations are based on the age old knowledge of aromatherapy and the latest technologies to incorporate the best of nature.

How do you manage to keep your brand above competition as currently the market is flooded with wellness products?

Our range of aromatherapy based products has a backing of qualification and vast experience. It has been conceptualised and created by a well qualified aromatherapist who has been blending and healing people with aromatherapy for the past several years.Our honest intention is to heal through nature which brought us into the wellness industry. By providing the most original formulations and authentic blends where the purest of essential oils are sourced directly from our plantations, we are trying to maintain the edge over the others.

Which categories of products do you offer in the wellness and beauty segments? Which are your star products?

.We offer skin care potions, hair care potions and personal care products. All our products are wellness based. They are based on the principles of aromatherapy. This acts as a holistic healing range that takes care of your beauty along with wellness.Each product has been personally formulated by me taking care of each ingredient that goes into it. Though each product has a unique benefit, but our Beauty Potion, Hair Nourishing Potion, Hand Nourish and Avocado Face & Body Butter and our anti aging range of products have been quite popular.

Tell us more about the packaging, names and look of the products?

The essence of wikka is also reflected in our packaging. A very earthy and natural look has been given to our labels and mono cartons.We are reworking on the design a bit but even now if one holds the product in one’s hand, one can see the detailing that has gone into it for customer satisfaction which holds true for the products also.We have tried to keep the names of the products simple and self explanatory.

Which products/ranges are in the pipeline?

We are working on the wellness range for the brides and grooms to be. We will soon be introducing a range of anti aging wellness products and a range of products for Spa / Salons and other institutions.

Do you have plans of roping in a brand ambassador?

Right now we dont have any plans of roping in a brand ambassador our product speak for themselves.

According to you, which is the best way to educate the consumers about natural products as the market is full of brands proclaiming to be natural, herbal, chemical-free, etc?

The secret to success in the wellness and beauty industry is to be authentic, full of passion and be honest to your consumers. The consumer of today is very intelligent, well read, well travelled and conscious. They know clearly what they need. Our aim should be to deliver the best. To achieve this we should bring to them the best of skills and knowledge.